Less than two weeks to go to the Open Bic Midwinter Cup with all the final organization and preparations in full swing. So far, we have 16 entries for the event and we should hopefully round out in the 20's which is what we worked for as a good number for the first of these yearly events. We have people coming from as far away as Cairns and also some from NSW. Preparations are well under way with the final work day on this Sunday, 23 June, starting at 10.00 am. The work to be completed includes: cleaning, painting, boat removal, kitchen modifications and general tidying up. If you have any spare time come along and I am sure we can find something for you to do.

Junior Sailing Sunday morning started a bit cool but fine and sunny with light winds. The kids had to work a bit harder to get their boats moving. It was a slow day but it gave everyone the opportunity to either improve their steering or to even have their first go at steering.

Well done to young Sam who had her first experience at steering with India as crew. I still remember the big smile when she successfully sailed out round the buoy and then sailed the boat back to me (makes standing in the cold water worthwhile). LAST BUT NOT LEAST WE CANT FORGET Cobywho from now on is to be known as Lolly Pop????Don’t ask me where it came from it was his choice !

Junior Racing What can I say, at one stage I came back to shore to ask the parents if the crew out there were really their children? The reason being that in virtually no wind the actually sailed a full reach course sitting forward , leaning in , minimum rudder movement but lots of talking and singing? Well done to Dillon especially for just sailing away from the fleet which I thought was awesome considering he is one of the heaviest out there.

There was one major drawback to everyone sailing so well without my constant, move forward, keep the rudder still, look at the sail, look where you are going and focus and that was that I actually had to listen to Lachy jabber on in the safety boat. Cruel punishment guys! Let's go back to the old ways where I have to constantly be on your case and then I don’t have to listen to Lachy!

Racing Sunday racing had a few malfunctions with a timing glitch where the start signal was 15 seconds early [Don’t know, wasn’t on the boat] and a misunderstanding as to where the top marks were to be positioned culminating in everyone going up and down the track a couple of times. The only good thing was we at least had some wind. Not much but some. Other drama,\'s on the day involved a Riviera catching fire (small and diesel) and drifting over mark A which instigated us being a temporary mark A for the kids. Later we moved the mark 30 mtrs to the East to clear the possible emergency. Luckily, it all ended with a bit of an anticlimax with Coast Guard VMR and the water police attending and dragging the offender away. I suppose that was at least one less of them out there on Sunday throwing wash everywhere. A special thanks goes to the boys and their parents from Oxley Sailing Club who came down for the race as part of their preparation for the Bic Regatta. Well done to George Morton coming home first with Tim Meyer from Oxley second and a great battle for the minor placings OH except for Lachy who only realised half way through the race that the bung wasn’t in! I believe I have said this before: before launching your boat CHECK YOUR BOAT.